Stratek Pursues Helium Cooled HTMR-100 SMR in South Africa
- Apr 9, 2024
- 3 min read
Koya Capital has signed a partnership agreement to work with Stratek Global, a reactor manufacturer, to secure financing and construction of a ZAR 9bn (US$480mm) first-of-a-kind reactor in South Africa. The HTMR-100 (High Temperature Modular Reactor), a helium-cooled reactor derived from South Africa's Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR) program, represents a significant advancement in nuclear technology, offering a clean, reliable energy source for Africa. Utilising graphite-coated spherical uranium oxycarbide fuel, the reactor efficiently produces 100MW of heat and 35MW of electricity, highlighting a major leap in harnessing nuclear energy with minimal cooling-water requirements. This innovation not only revives the paused PBMR project but also aligns with the growing demand for clean base-load power. HTMR's are being developed across the globe including in the US and China and we see this as a potential demand driver for helium over the next decade.